The invention relates to a method and device for driving a printing press with an integrated imaging device.
A printing press with an impression cylinder, a blanket cylinder, a printing form cylinder, an inking unit and imaging device allocated to the printing form cylinder is known from e.g. German patent No. 195 15 077 A1. These elements are connected with each other by a gear train. The inking unit can be detached from the gear train for the image formation on the printing form cylinder.
A disadvantage of this procedure is that the image formation takes a longer time because the imaging speed, i.e. the rotating speed of the printing form cylinder during the image formation, is identical with the maximum printing speed.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a method and a device enabling higher imaging speed and therefore minimizing the time required for image formation. Accordingly, the present invention provides a method and a device enabling a high imaging speed and minimizing the image formation time.
According the present invention the printing form cylinder drive is detached from the drive wheel train, and the printing form cylinder is driven by a dedicated drive at imaging speed during image formation and the printing form cylinder is attached to the drive wheel train in the operating phase position. Thus the present invention provides a method for driving a printing press having (i) an impression cylinder, (ii) at least two cylinder groups each having (a) a blanket cylinder, (b) a printing form cylinder, and (1) an imaging device, (2) an inking unit, and (3) and dedicated drive, all for said printing form cylinder, (iii) a sheet feeding device, (v) a drive wheel train connecting said cylinders and said inking unit, and (vi) a main motor drive, the method comprising detaching the printing form cylinder from said drive wheel train, driving said printing form cylinder by said dedicated drive at imaging speed during image formation, and re-attaching said printing form cylinder after image formation to said drive wheel train in an operating phase position.
As used throughout the disclosure and the claims, any reference to a xe2x80x9cdedicated drivexe2x80x9d means a separate, own drive for a cylinder having such a dedicated drive.